L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2021 www.italoamericano.org 12 L'Italo-Americano F ormer capital of t h e R o m a n Empire, inspira- t i o n f o r M i n a s Tirith of Lord of the Rings fame, known for its beautiful mosaics and for being the resting place of Dante Alighieri, Ravenna has a lot to offer to its visi- tors. One of the many loca- tions in Italy to be part of the UNESCO World Heritage P a t r i m o n y , t h e E m i l i a - R o m a g n a t o w n h a s e v e n more to show, especially if y o u l o o k … u n d e r g r o u n d . There is a secret city, hidden by time and stone, that offers a view of what life in Raven- na was back in Roman and Byzantine times. In 2009, plans to create two recycling areas in Anita Garibaldi Square and Andrea Costa Square were proposed. To respect the artistic and architectural balance of the city, it was decided to deve- lop them both underground but, soon, practical excava- tions had to stop and leave s p a c e t o a r c h a e o l o g i c a l research, as it often happens i n m a n y I t a l i a n t o w n s — Rome, of course, gets the gold medal for this! A n c i e n t a r t i f a c t s a n d architectural findings were d u g f r o m b o t h l o c a t i o n s , including the remains of a Roman domus dating back to the 2nd century AD. It was the beginning of a long path made of research and safe- g u a r d i n g o f t h e i m m e n s e historical and artistic patri- mony unearthed, that lasted u n t i l 2 0 1 2 . T h e d o m u s ' mosaics were in part lifted to be restored, including the one that most symbolizes this incredible archaeological a d v e n t u r e , a G e n i o d e l l e Acque, a minor divinity of rivers, today exhibited with o t h e r m o s a i c s a t M u s e o Tamo. I t i s i m p o r t a n t t o t a l k about the Genio, because the s u b t e r r a n e a n w o r l d o f Ravenna is tied to water and to the ancient rivers that, two millennia ago, flowed through the city. Once upon a t i m e , t h e R i v e r s P a d e n n a a n d Flumisellum occupied the area between modern Anita Garibaldi Square and Andrea Costa Square — in fact, they still do, but they run under- ground; that part of ancient Ravenna was so strictly con- nected to their presence and to the importance of water for its wealth and the well being of its people that the homes, streets and buildings around them brought homa- ge to their importance. This is why the beautiful, intricate mosaics today visible at the Museo Tamo had fluvial the- mes. B u t t h e u n d e r g r o u n d w o r l d o f R a v e n n a h o l d s more surprises. We have the domus of Anita Garibaldi Square and a number of buil- dings found in Andrea Costa Square, but there is a whole i m p e r i a l p a l a c e t o b e discovered. Let us go in order. Ravenna had been, for a number of years, capital of the Western Roman Empire during the last decades of its existence, from 402 AD until its last days and, from 493 to 526 AD, also capital of the O s t r o g o t h E m p i r e . S u r r o u n d e d a s i t w a s b y marshland, it was considered virtually inexpugnable, rea- s o n f o r w h i c h R o m a n e m p e r o r H o n o r i u s moved his court there from Milan in 402 AD. The pre- sence of the River Po ensu- r e d c o m m u n i c a t i o n a n d commerce with the rest of Northern Italy and the proxi- mity to the sea meant the Empire could maintain its links with the Mediterranean open. Similar were the moti- v a t i o n s t h a t b r o u g h t Theodoric, leader of the O s t r o g o t h s , t o R a v e n n a , a l o n g w i t h a p a s s i o n f o r C l a s s i c a l c u l t u r e h e h a d developed when, as a young m a n , h e h a d b e e n h e l d hostage in Constantinople. Indeed, Theodoric left a deep m a r k i n t h e a r t i s t i c a n d a r c h i t e c t u r a l f a c e o f Ravenna: under his reign, Sant' Apollinare Nuovo b a s i l i c a , t h e B a t t i s t e r o d e g l i A r i a n i a n d h i s famous mausoleum were built. Crucially, he was also the one who wanted a large imperial palace in the city. A palace which is a bit of a mystery, because we know of its existence and even have some archaeological proof of it, but we still haven't mana- g e d t o d i s c o v e r i t i n f u l l . Excavations carried out at the beginning of the 20th century, just behind Sant' Apollinare Nuovo basilica, u n e a r t h e d a r t i f a c t s a n d a r c h i t e c t u r a l s t r u c t u r e s believed to be part of the palatial complex, including m o s a i c f l o o r s a n d w a l l s , d a t i n g b a c k t o T h e o d o r i c times. However, the precise location and extension of the p a l a c e a r e y e t t o b e f u l l y discovered and, perhaps, this is the true, real mystery of underground Ravenna. If you'd like to get a taste of what may be hidden under Ravenna's streets, you can h e a d t o S a n t ' A p o l l i n a r e N u o v o , w h e r e a m o s a i c representation of Theodoric palace occupies one of the church's walls. Also literatu- re bears witness to the maje- s t y o f t h e b u i l d i n g : Cassiodorus, who worked for Theodoric and must have k n o w n t h e p a l a c e w e l l , d e s c r i b e d i t s w e a l t h o f mosaics, paintings, precious decorations and carved mar- bles in detail. There is more. Ravenna, for a time, was also capital of the Eastern Roman Empire i n I t a l y , a s d e c r e e d b y E m p e r o r J u s t i n i a n ( 5 2 7 - 565). This is probably the true golden age of the city, when fabulous San Vitale and Sant' Apollinare in Classe basilicas were crea- ted. It is to this period that another important piece of R a v e n n a ' s u n d e r g r o u n d w o r l d , t h e D o m u s d e i Tappeti di Pietra ("the house with stone carpets"), b e l o n g s . O p e n e d t o t h e public in 2002, it is accessed trough Santa Eufemia chur- ch and comprises 14 areas decorated with floor mosaics and polychromatic marbles — hence the name — dating back to the 5th-6th century. Famous are the representa- tions of the seasons, even though Summer is unfortu- nately missing, and one of t h e C h r i s t . T h e d o m u s i s three meters under street l e v e l a n d , t h e r e f o r e , j u s t another part of the secret u n d e r g r o u n d w o r l d o f Ravenna. FRANCESCA BEZZONE LA VITA ITALIANA TRADITIONS HISTORY CULTURE The amazing mosaics in the Battistero degli Ariani, in Ravenna (Photo: © Giuseppemasci | Dreamstime.com) The underground secrets of Ravenna

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